My Obtainable Christmas 4 weeks to go (Part 2)

With only 4 weeks remaining on my count down to an obtainable Christmas. Around now I go on-line and make my shopping order to be delivered Christmas week (my delivery slot booked earlier in the month). I start to think about making a couple of freezable desserts and also I make my Yorkshire puddings and gravy, freeze and then put them in freezer bags ready to be defrosted & heated through on Christmas day (keeping valuable space in and on the oven)

Sloane Square, London

Yorkshire pud recipe

Mix together a cupful of plain flour, one of milk and use the same cup to measure your eggs (a tea cup is about 3 and makes 12 puddings). Whisk together. Now heat some oil in a muffin pan in a very hot oven (210) until smoking and pour in the batter. Bake for about 20-25mins cool on wire racks and till completely cold, place onto parchment lined baking sheets and freeze until solid, now pop into freezer bags. To serve remove from the freezer bags pop onto a tray and heat in a hot oven for about 6 mins.

Make your gravy

Place a chicken carcass in a large pan two thirds filled with water with an onion chopped into quarters (skin can stay on) 3 sticks of celery, a bunch of woody herbs (thyme, bay leaves rosemary and oregano) and a couple of carrots for about an hour on a medium/low heat till reduced by half.

Strain into a jug when completely cooled pour into a ridged container and freeze. Defrost gently the night before you want to use. Add a tbsp of softened butter to a pan, add one of flour mix together over a medium heat, crumble in an oxo cube and gradually add the stock whisk the whole time until the gravy has thickened, keep warm until required, I add a glass of wine and the turkey juices to mine, then I heat again just before serving.

I also make my savoury biscuit dough to be served with cheese, grapes and celery for the cheese course, they also make the most amazing canapés topped with chutney and slivers of cheese at drinks parties. Here is my new recipe below for walnut, cracked black pepper and herb biscuits, but you can find my Parmesan, chilli and rosemary biscuits (on the left of the photo below) in my second book Home Baking

7g easy yeast140ml lukewarm milk1 tsp caster sugpinch of salt125g strong white bread flour100 g plain flour1tsp mixed spice100 g mixed fruit (soaked in booze overnight)50 g flaked almonds25 g peel ( I blend my peel into a paste as I hate that yucky texture)50 g softened unsalted butteran egg (to enrich the dough)150 g Marzipan made into 78 small ballsLined baking traysPlace all the dried ingredients into the bowl of your freestanding machine and make a well in the centre.Combine milk, mixed peel paste and egg in a large jug, pour into well of dry ingredients.Mix together, and Knead in a machine with a bread hook for 5 mins. Now knead in the softened butter for about 3 minutesReturn to an oiled bowl, cover and prove for 90mins.Knock back for 2 minutes shape into an long sausage shape, divide into 3 pieces and then divide each piece into 26 small marble sized pieces, flatten and pop a marzipan piece into the centre,wrap the dough around the marzipan so it's completely enclosed, place onto the lined baking tray. Repeat placing the little dough balls next to each other until they are all on the tray. Make sure all the little balls are seem sides down. Cover and leave to prove for 40 mins in a warm place.Bake in a preheated oven 180 for 25- 35mins.Brush with a little melted butter and dust with lots of icing sugar. For my full size Stollen

Boozy Hot Chocolate

1 pint of milk100ml double cream1-2 tsp vanilla extract200g dark chocolate drops (or chopped)75ml Baileys6-8 maltesers6-8 mini marshmallowsIn a pan gently heat together the cream, milk, vanilla and chocolate. If you have a sweet tooth you can add a tbsp of brown sugar, stirring the whole time until the chocolate is completely melted. Now stir in the baileys pour into 2-3 glasses and top with the maltesers and marshmallows.